Vapor compression distillation apparatus



July 11, 1950 E. R. KIRUHMIN VAPOR COMPRESSION DISTILLATION APPARATUS Filed April 10, 1946 I N VEN TOR.

EDWARD R. KRUHMIN ATTORNEYS Patented July 11, 1950 VAPOR COMPRESSION DISTILLATION APPARATUS Edward R. Kruhmin, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada Application April 10, 1946, Serial No. 661,130

1 Claim. 1

My present invention relates to an improved vapor compression distillation apparatus and more particularly to a distilling apparatus employing diflerential pressure within the apparatus for condensing the steam vapors from the fiuid under distillation.

According to my invention, the raw material is passed to a concentrate separator, thence to a turbine compressor and thence to a super heater. The superheated steam is then passed to condensing and cooling means where the pure liquid is obtained.

Other and more specific advantages and details of operation will be disclosed hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawing I have iilustrated one complete example oi the physical embodiment of my invention according to the best mode I have thus far devised but it will be understood that various changes and alterations may be made in the exemplified structure within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawings:

The figure is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus of my invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown a container I for the raw material having an outlet pipe 2 and a valve 3. Pipe 4 from the valve connects with an evaporator vacuum regulator i and the pipe 8 passes through the hydrometer 1 to the separator 8. A heating chamher I is furnished with a gas burner I and the gas therefor is fed through pipe I I from a source of supply.

Steam gauge I2 is provided on the separator casing and pipe l3 carries vapor to the compressor turbine through pipe I! to the superheater It. This superheater It includes an upper air intake l1 and a preheater I. for the air which then passes through the pipe Hi to the fire box. The fire in the fire box supplies heat for the superheater coil connected with pipe l5 and from the coil the steam passes through pipe 2| to the turbine motor 22. A shaft 23 operably connects the turbine motor operated by the steam from the superheater with the compressor I4.

Steam leaving the turbine 22 passes through pipe 24 past gauge 25 through heat exchange chambers C and A and thence to thermostat 2B and outlet pipe 21, as a distilled product.

Within the separator 8 I employ a bracket 28 supporting the pivotal arm 29 and the float 30. A valve rod 2| attached to the pivotal arm connects below with a valve 32 and the valve 32 is connected with the pump 33. The withdrawn I4 and the compressed vapors pass concentrate from the pump 33 passes through a nipple 34 having a valved outlet 35 to pipe 36. and the other side of the nipple connects with pipe 3'! leading through the raw solution preheater B.

Inoperation a small fire is started in the superheater and an amount of raw solution is admitted to the separator 8. The gas burner I0 is ignited and steam vapors from the separator pass to the compressor I4 to the superheater coil 20. The steam expands in the coil and then moves to the turbine motor 22 operating the same. The operation of the turbine motor supplies through shaft 23 motive power for the compressor and more steam will be passed therethrough now under pressure. The steam from the turbine then passes to the condenser C to the raw solution preheater A and then to discharge.

Under some circumstances it may be desirable to provide a radiator R for the pipe I3 to supply additional heat to the vapors in the pipe prior to entrance into the compressor when the operation is in its initial stages. After the compressed vapors have been superheated, no additional heat will be required, and it has been found that under certain conditions, the gas burner I0 may be out off and the operation will continue due to the pressure of the compressor on the vapors, the raw solution having been preheated in its passage through chambers A, B, and C.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A distillation apparatus comprising: A feed container for feed liquid; indirect heat exchange means; conduit means for passing the feed liquid from the feed container to said indirect heat exchange means; a vaporization chamber; conduit means for passing the feed liquid from said heat exchange means to the vaporization chamber; a liquid level control valve in the vaporization chamber; a liquid outlet in the vaporization chamber, said liquid outlet being controlled by said valve and acting to remove liquid residue from the vaporization chamber; a conduit for passing said liquid residue from the liquid outlet to said indirect heat exchange means; thereby permittingthe liquid residue to preheat the feed liquor; means for removing the liquid residue from the heat exchange means; a vapor outlet in the vaporization chamber; a vapor compressor; means for passing the vapors from said vapor outlet to the vapor compressor; a superheater; means for passing the vapors from the vapor compressor to the superheater; heating means in the superheater for heating the vapors; a turbine;

exchange means.

EDWARD R. KRUHMIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 86,515 Eaton Feb. 2, 1869 585,943 Waterhouse July 6, 1897 760,440 Forbes May 24, 1904 1,391,811 Well Sept. 27, 1921 1,461,640 Wirth-Frey July 10, 1923 1,529,233 Barbet Mar. 10, 1925 1,827,846 Hoimquist Oct. 20, 1931 2,055,385 Noack Sept. 22, 1936 2,066,151 Johanson Dec. 29, 1936 4 Number Name Date 2,159,859 Graeminger May 23, 1939 2,184,845 Noack Dec. 28, 1939 2,280,093 Kleinschmidt Apr. 21, 1942 5 2,305,810 Muller Dec. 22, 1942 2,339,862 Kleinschmidt Jan. 25, 1944 2,375,640 Ford May 8, 1945 2,379,183 Price June 26, 1945 2,389,064 Latham Nov. 13, 1945 10 2,389,789 Latham Nov. 2'7, 1945 2,410,450 Kroon Nov. 5, 1946 2,441,361 Kirgan May 11, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS 5 Number Country Date 181,482 Great Britain June 14, 1922 117,806 Australia Dec. 9,.1943 157,413 Switzerland May 11, 1948 20 OTHER REFERENCES Prldgeon, "Calculation of Vapor Recompression Evaporators," Chem. and Met. Eng, June 25, 1923, vol. 28, No. 25, p ges 1109-1111.

Killefler, Making Heat Wash Overtime,

25 sscientiflc American, October 1946, pages 153 to 

